This invention relates to devices for clamping to a scaffolding pole in construction work when, as is sometimes the case, it is required to connect a scaffolding pole to a flange of a construction member such as an angle section beam, T-section beam or I-section beam. The term "scaffolding pole" is used herein generically to denote elongate scaffold elements which are of uniform cross-section, and which are usually, but not necessarily, of circular, hollow cross-section.
One previous form of clamping device proposed for this purpose has one part comprising a body to which is hinged a cap and also one end of a clamping bolt, the body having an arcuate seating to engage one side of the scaffolding pole and the cap having an arcuate seating to engage on the opposite side of the pole, the bolt being engaged with the free end of the pivoted cap and a nut being tightened on the bolt to clamp the pole firmly between the cap and the body. This previous device also has two further parts, one being a U-shaped clamp and the other being a T-shaped bolt which is engaged with the body of the device so that the head of the T sits in a recess in the arcuate surface of the body and the shank of the bolt projects through a hole at the base of the recess and then is passed through a hole in the base of the U-shaped clamp with a clamping nut being provided on the free end of the T-shaped bolt. In use the device is first clamped to a scaffolding pole, with the U-shaped clamp arranged so that one of its legs engages the flange of the construction member while the other of its legs engages the tube at a position alongside the body of the device, and the nut on the T bolt is then tightened.
Such a device is described in U.K. patent specification No. 1,537,257.
With this previous proposal there are three separate parts which can become detached and two clamping bolts have to be tightened up to secure the device in position and in some casea an operator may have to manipulate and tighten the two clamping bolts simultaneously whilst moving the device into the correct position.
The object of the present invention is to provide an improved form of clamping device for the purpose set out above, which has the advantages of being of simpler construction and comprising a smaller number of separate parts.